Chapter 69: 69

“Haha, you yield so much.”

Pedro burst out laughing and shoved the steak into his mouth.

Well, his mouth was so big that that big chunk of meat went in at once.

“Um, ehy thwink…”

“Talk after you chew.”

“Gulp. I think that would be good too.”

Pedro wiped the grease off his lips and grinned at Hugo.

“Hey, aren’t you looking forward to it? Rather, this might be our chance to bring the Imperial House down. Lily, you think so too, don’t you?”

Pedro kept adding food to my plate. He looked very excited since the battle to retake the Western Continent was decided.

It was a peaceful afternoon. Based on what was written in the newspaper, the outside world seemed to be in an uproar because of Benny’s presence, but I couldn’t feel it at all in the castle.

Eating at the picnic table where the warm sun was shining and hearing the birds chirping…

I wouldn’t have known how the world was going if Alan hadn’t told me.

Of course, in the midst of a break, Alan gave clear orders of what to do.

“Pedro, you go to this newspaper company today. And Hugo, you are to participate in training starting from today.”

From today? 

I didn’t want to miss the timing, so I quickly asked.

“Dad, can’t I go see Benny too?”

“Lily!” 

Before Alan could answer, Hugo jumped to his feet.

“Absolutely not. It’s dangerous!”

“Uh…”

What, what? At best, when I tried to tell Benny the truth, an unexpected ambush appeared.

I carefully persuaded Hugo.

“Can’t I meet him for a bit and cheer even during break time?”

“You can contact him through a letter or a gift, can’t you? I’m sure the monster’s instinct will be awakened by training, and there’s no need to meet Lily in person.”

“Whoaa, Hugo, you must have been very jealous yesterday.”

Pedro, who was spreading butter on a thick baguette, chuckled playfully.

I was puzzled by his words and tilted my head. What did he mean by jealous?

“Lily, you and that guy were on good terms on the terrace yesterday.”

Pedro pointed to Hugo with the tip of his baguette.

“You know what this guy looked like back then? To be honest, I thought he was going to make a scene in the ballroom.”

“…Don’t talk nonsense, Brother.”

“But you looked at him like you were going to kill him with your eyes…”

“Brother, I’m warning you…!”

“Stop.”

Alan cut off the brothers’ fight that was about to start as usual and stroked me.

“Let’s go together, Lily. If you meet him with me, there will be no problem.”

I have a lot of problems with that. I have something to tell Benny, so can you give us some time alone?

“It wouldn’t be dangerous. I can assure you that there will be no more instances of leaving the two of you alone like yesterday.”

The cry in my heart did not reach him.

“And.”

Alan made a stern declaration, as if he was announcing a military policy.

“Lily, you seem to want a friend of your age, so I’ll give you a friend that suits you.”

‘All of a sudden… What does that mean?’

Hugo, who had been looking elsewhere dissatisfied, joined the group.

“That’s great, Father. When the candidates are decided, send me the list as well.”

As I listened, I somehow guessed the purpose of Alan and Hugo. They were trying to divert my attention from Benny to another friend.

‘Even so, are you even going to give me a companion? Did I look like a kid who needed a friend so much?’

I looked back on my past actions.

I was obsessed with Benny whom I saw for the first time because he was my age, sneaked out to meet Benny, and cried that I want to be friends with Benny…

‘It was a lack of affection itself.’

Of course, that didn’t mean I needed a new friend. What did he mean by a friend, impersonating Lily itself was already burdensome.

Even if he brought a noble child who matched the level of a princess, the gap between me and the real me only widened even more.

Actually, the real me looked more like Benny than a noble lady.

“…Can we choose together?”

If I refused, it was obvious that they would attack me in another way, so I decided to face it openly. Rather, I would personally choose the type of friend I need.

Alan didn’t know what I was trying to say and just seemed happy. He called for Nike and spoke calmly.

“Select candidates to be Lily’s companion, they should be about the same age as Lily. She must be moderately active, but she must be polite in front of Lily. She should be able to handle at least three instruments, and she must be smart enough to never get bored even after three days and three nights of conversation. And she must be a young lady who would not be a shame to bring everywhere.”

…I wondered if such a child would exist.

***

While Nike was looking for companion candidates, Hugo brought me to the black magic lab, saying he had something to show me.

He glanced around the room, then suddenly looked back at me.

“Lily, forget what Brother  said earlier. What did he mean by me trying to make a fuss in the ballroom… It wasn’t to that extent.”

“Ah, all right.”

“It’s just that my magic went out of control for a while.”

…In the end, I guess it’s true that he was ferocious towards Benny.

“I was angry… because the monster invaded our family’s territory so much. Just a little.”

Invaded.

An invisible wall was felt in those words.

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Even if it wasn’t necessarily Benny’s problem, the Bauner family seemed very unsociable.

Except for Pedro, who got along well with everyone, the rest of the people were attached only to their own flesh and blood, as if they had taken root in each other.

‘When I think about it that way, Pedro seems really unique.’

Being active and sociable, if he had not had a similar face, I would not have known that he was Alan’s son.

“If it was 10 years ago, the monster would have been beaten to a pulp in Brother’s hands before it even set foot in the Bauner family.”

…Oh no. It seemed my guess was wrong again.

“Beaten to a pulp? By Brother Pedro?”

“Yes, I can’t remember because I was so young, but I heard he had a great temper. Most days began with a fight, a combat fanatic who ran first when a war broke out. It is said that he chewed up hundreds of enemies with a smile on his face.”

It was terrifying to hear, but who the hell was he talking about? 

“Till now, some people even cry in fear when they see the unscrewed brother. They don’t know whether the devil was covered or escaped.”

“Woah…”

“Well, people change… I found it.”

Hugo pulled a thin bundle of paper from the bottom of the cabinet. I tilted my head.

“Brother, weren’t you looking for a treasure report of ancient knowledge?”

I thought of a book like a blunt weapon that was thick enough to kill people, but the book in Hugo’s hand was as thin as a tray.

Hugo wiped the dust off the cover of the book and grinned in satisfaction.

“This is it.”

In Alan’s drawing room—

Hugo spread out the bundle of paper he had brought from the lab on the floor.

Now that I could properly look at it, it was a large piece of paper with a magic circle on it.

Hugo blinked at Nike as he hung a pendulum that looked like two triangular pyramids attached to his ring finger.

Nike, with a solemn expression, put down the portrait of a pretty girl in the center of the magic circle.

Alan sat on his chair and I sat on his lap, watching the strange sight akin to offering a sacrifice to the Demon King.

Hugo hung a pointed pendulum near the portrait and chanted a spell.

Then he narrowed his eyes and fixed his gaze on it.

It shook, moving further. In a very subtle way as if under the influence of someone.

Hugo caught the small movement and shook his head fiercely.

“The pendulum is shaking. Next.” 

“I, it’s shaking?” 

Nike covered his mouth with both hands as if in disbelief.

“Can’t we try it again? This young lady is impeccable as a princess’ compa…!”

“Next.”

Hugo glared at Nike. Nike hurriedly removed the portrait above the magic circle and place another portrait of another young lady.

“Prince, then what about this young lady?”

Hugo chanted the same spell as before.

Again, the pendulum shook. Hugo mercilessly said again.

“She’s out. Next.”

“Ah…!”

Nike was visibly frustrated. I watched the scene with soulless eyes on Alan’s lap.

On one side of the sheet of paper on the floor, the purpose of that magic circle was written along with the phrase, ‘Handle with Caution!’. 

「Ill Will Determination Magic」

According to Hugo, this magic could reveal the personality of my companion candidates.

Here’s the way.

Nike, who had been working hard to select candidates as my companion, seemed to have lost his light.

I couldn’t watch it any longer, so I asked Alan.

“Dad, do you have a child you like?”

Alan had been looking at documents containing personal information of my companions instead of portraits.

As if dealing with a major military policy, his expression was very serious.

“…Well. I don’t see a child that suits you.”

Eh, really? Wasn’t it because your criteria was too high? A prodigy who had been playing the piano since she was 5 years old, a genius who had shown talent with the sword since she was 4 years old…

All the young ladies Nike had selected were perfect from head to toe.

If I met them, I felt like I had to play the role of a clapper who applauded them from the side.

But Alan didn’t like any child at all, and Hugo was becoming more and more ridiculous.

“Are there any other candidates, Nike? Just being pretty and smart is not enough to be my angel’s friend. She should know deeply that Lily is the prettiest, cutest, and most lovable child in the world.”

Aside from whether that’s true or not, how would kids who’ve never met me know that?

Alan raised one eyebrow as if he had heard a strange sound.

“Hugo, is there anyone who still doesn’t know about that?”

Most people, except for you, probably didn’t know that.

After arguing with the portrait, Hugo finally took a deep breath and collected the triangle pyramid.

“This won’t do. I’ll tell the maids to select new candidates.”

“I wanted to help the princess…!”

Nike lamented and fell to the floor.

‘No, is that such a frustrating matter?’

When they were doing many things amongst themselves, I hurriedly glanced through the profiles.

I was eager to stop this riot by picking someone quickly, but I couldn’t.

‘There is no child who meets my standards.’

The companion I wanted was not a smart or talented kid. The good child was even worse. 

As I pondered, my eyes suddenly caught on to a certain portrait.

“That kid… let me see it for a second?”

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